Kazuma Nakajima
Kazuma Nakajima is the Captain of the 8th Division in the Gotei 13 and Commander of the Mass Reinforcement Unit. Appearance Kazuma Nakajima is a Shinigami of average height and normal build with short shaggy hair cut at about ear's length, his eye color is black matching that of his hair. He always manages to keep a five o' clock shadow around his face. He sports a long sleeved captain's haori over his shihakusho, which is kept closed, tied by a light blue obi sash around his waist. He also has a fitted strap worn over his left shoulder which holds his Zanpakutō's sheath in place on his back. Kazuma also tucks his left arm into the front of his haori, making it look as though his arm is in a sling. He removes his left arm from his haori when fighting, but his right arm remains in its sleeve. In addition, he does wear tabi with his sandals. Normally he appears to have a rather serious demeanor on his face but in reality he means no harm, it is just part of his personality. Personality Kazuma is not among the most sociable Shinigami from his graduating class. He does however hold a great deal of respect for his fellow captains and follows the code of conduct as a captain down to the tee. He may be somewhat lacidasical at times when it comes to administrative work but when pitted heat of battle, he devotes his all, often displaying an overtly serious demeanor. He refuses to fight over a meaningless quarrel, believing that the drawing of one's sword should be a Shinigami's last resort. He is not afraid to interfere in another fight given the proper circumstances as well. Above all he cherishes the lives of his squadron trusting their judgement's as they deem fit, and swears to do what he must in order to protect them. He usually carries his pipe dangling between his lips when in the vicinity of his barracks, which at times seem to disturb his fellow Shinigami. He also displays an insatiable appetite for tobacco and sake, often spending his free time at the local taverns of West Rukongai. History Kazuma grew up in the 3rd district known as Hokutan (北端, lit. "North End"), located in the western part of Rukongai and was raised by a caring family that fostered three children. His father whom unfortunately was disabled, always tended to matters at home while his mother managed a local flower shop. At an early age his father taught him the basics of kendo, hoping that one day his son would become join the Gotei 13, a dream he never realized himself. From his adolescence he began leaking bits of spiritual pressure but this was not done purposely, for he could not control it entirely. His condition worsened to the point where his family could not withstand being around his presence without being harmed. Days and nights felt quite lonely for him, as he rarely interacted with his siblings, let alone his parents but he continued practicing the fundamentals of kendo taught to him by his father as it provided the sole linkage to his family. When the proper age came he bid his family farewell and enlisted into the Shinigami Academy to fulfill the expectations his father had hoped for. During his stay at the Academy, Kazuma befriended fellow Captain Hasegawa Ayumi, his senpai whom tutored him in Kido. They eventually learned they had a mutual interest in flowers. To this day he still refers to her by the title "senpai." As a student, Kazuma mostly kept to himself, following a strict regiment of study. His efforts did not go unrewarded as he climbed to the top of class with brilliant scores. He was among the few whom were promoted to seated officers after their graduation from the Academy. He served as the 3rd seat of the 6th Division before being promoted to Captain. He was then transferred over to the 8th Division as the newly appointed captain, after the disappearance of former captain Takeshi Hiroki, leaving him with big shoes to fill. Plot To be filled as the roleplay progresses. Powers and Abilities Master Swordsmanship Specialist: Zanjutsu quickly became a favorite for Kazuma as his background was deeply rooted in the fundamentals of kendo taught to him by his father. As such he is masterful at swordsmanship capable of delivery lethally precise attacks with ease. Kido Master: Kazuma has a vast amount of knowledge in the demon arts, to the point where he can be considered masterful. He can cast several high level spells as a testament to his knowledge. Nonetheless he can execute a variety of spells without the incantation and still manage to deliver a formidable blow in addition to casting low level spells that produce amounts of damage comparable to a high level spell without an incantation. Expert Hand-to-Hand Combatant: 'Although it is not his preferred method of engaging the enemy, Kazuma is adept at hand-to-hand combat. If the tide turns in battle, Kazuma can hold his own without relying heavily on his sword. '''Flash Step Master: '''In conjunction with his mastery in Zanjutsu, Kazuma is known to have mastered Shunpo, ranking among the fastest of the Gotei 13 captains. *'Senka (閃花, Flash Blossom): a special Shunpo technique where one moves to their opponent's back, directly attacking and sealing one's "Saketsu" and "Hakusui" in one strike (effectively cutting them off of their spiritual energy flow). This attack is his favorite to use. The movement is so fast that an opponent may not be able to tell whether he was attacked from the front or the back and even an outside observer may find it impossible to tell what the movements are. Immense Spiritual Pressure: '''He is able to exert a considerable amount of spiritual pressure enough to instill fear in the hearts of those who cannot withstand the spiritual pressure of a captain level Shinigami. On the other hand, he is able to withstand the spiritual pressures of his fellow captains too. '''Master Strategist & Tactician:'' Kazuma is highly perceptive in battle, taking all of the enemy's actions into consideration as the battle progresses. In addition, before preparing for battle he always analyzes the situation thoroughly before deciding whether the presence of his squad members is absolutely necessary. Still, he does not mind taking a risk for the sake of victory. '''Enhanced Strength:' He is never short on offense, which has enabled him to take on even the strongest of opponents and still manage to match their strength in battle. Enhanced Agility: '''His speed has been revered throughout the Soul Society. Rightfully so, as his greatest asset is his nimbleness on the battlefield, capable of disposing his enemies both swiftly and brutally. Zanpakuto '''Yurikonkorōru (ユリコンコロール, "Morning Star Lily"): A standard katana, the cross guard is a hexagon decorated with the six petals of a lily surrounded by tiny dots. The handle is orange and kept sheathed on his obi sash at his right side. *'Shikai': The Shikai command is "Sprout" '(もやし, ''Moyashi). When activated the katana changes it's shape into a Gladius. The weapon manifests into a whip-sword, able to stretch out via woven threads of spiritual pressure coming out of Kazuma. The sword can extend and contract at Kazuma's will but can be taxing on him after prolonged use. He can also use it as a whip to strike from long-range to draw his enemy in or can retract the segments back whole to fight from short-range. (Sorry I kinda borrowed heavily from Renji and Ivy from Soul Calibur.) *Shikai Special Ability: 'Yurikonkorōru has two distinct abilities unique to its Shikai release. *'Yuri no sakebi (ユリの叫び, Scream'' of The Lily''): With this attack, Kazuma pierces the floor with the contracted blade as it extends into the ground and rises up to pierce his enemy from below (Capable of extending no more than 10ft). *'Muchiuchi '(むち打ち, Whiplash): Kazuma twirls the extended segments of the whip-sword forming a circle in front of him. He pours in his spiritual pressure intensify the sting of the whip before he pulls it back and strikes his enemy. Once the attack has been executed, a thirty second interval must pass before he can use this attack once more. *'''Bankai: Kaika'' Yurikonkorōru '(開花ユリコンコロール, The Blossoming Morning Star Lily) The whip-sword elongates, the segments wrap around the back of Kazuma eventually stretching out to his oth er arm. The chained segments slither onto his forearms, covering them in the what appears to be chains but in reality it is the segments of the sword, which can be use simultaneously to attack his opponent (think Kratos from God of War). Both ends of the chains (at the wrist) sport a sharp tip. *Bankai Special Ability: 'Yurikonkorōru also has another set pair of abilities while in Bankai. *'Yuri no sakebi (ユリの叫び, Scream of The Lily): With this attack, Kazuma pierces the floor with the dual edges as it extends into the ground and rises up to pierce his enemy from below (Capable of extending no more than 10ft). Can also be modified to flail about violently from the area that it surfaces in to catch his opponent in a sequence of violent lashes. *'''Naite iru yuri (泣いているユリ,'' The Crying Lilies''): Considered to be his final attack. Kazuma extends the chained segments onto the floor (no more than 5 ft) and at his command they ignite in an explosive trail. This attack is mainly used as a trap in conjunction with another attack to lure the enemy in. In addition, due to the proximity, Kazuma is susceptible to damage from the explosion, he only has five seconds to detach the segments before they ignite. This attack has only been witnessed by his Zanpakutō's spirit, during the time spent mastering this technique. Relationships *He has two younger siblings but has had limited communication with them since he became a Shinigami. *Shares a mutual appreciation for flowers and friendship with Captain Hasegawa Ayumi. They occasionally hold drinking parties together. *Holds a never ending and obviously apparent rivalry with Captain Yamato Kinji. Trivia *His theme song is "Battlecry" by Nubajes *The concept behind his Zanpakutō is from his mother's flower shop, her favorite type of flower specifically. *Due to the toll his Zanpakutō has on his body, he is rarely seen using it fully. Quotes (To Hasegawa Ayumi) "Put your all behind the swing of your blade if you wish to cut me down, or would you prefer that I teach you how to properly wield a Zanpakutō?" (To Sakura Suzuki) "Every time I set foot out of this door I carry the pride of this division on my shoulders, as does every Captain of the Gotei 13." (To Yamato Kinji) "Nothing worthwhile is without sacrifice."